Flordia Diving For a New Diver

Hello everyone,

My father and I finshed our PADI scuba diver class a few weeks ago, and are
looking for a place to take a small vacation and take our open water
certification. We were thinking the last part of Feburary or the first part
of March. We were thinking about going to the Keys. What does anyone think
about this idea? I know that the Caribbean has a lot of nice places, but
for my first dives I think that would be a waste.

Thanks,
Doug

I can recommend amy slate's in key largo. They will really look after
you and make sure you get some good dives.

Doug Schaible wrote:
> Hello everyone,
>
> My father and I finshed our PADI scuba diver class a few weeks ago, and are
> looking for a place to take a small vacation and take our open water
> certification. We were thinking the last part of Feburary or the first part
> of March. We were thinking about going to the Keys. What does anyone think
> about this idea? I know that the Caribbean has a lot of nice places, but
> for my first dives I think that would be a waste.
>
> Thanks,
> Doug
>
>

Your in the neighborhood, but I would stay in the Ft. Lauderrdale,
Boynton area. The diving is better IMHO and everything else is a little
bit cheaper. If your going to be a few days, you can still go to Key
Largo for a day and do the Speigel Grove.



In article <POCOb.92681$fq1.82096@twister.rdc-kc.rr.com>,
"Doug Schaible" <dougjrs@kc.rr.com> wrote:

> Hello everyone,
>
> My father and I finshed our PADI scuba diver class a few weeks ago, and are
> looking for a place to take a small vacation and take our open water
> certification. We were thinking the last part of Feburary or the first part
> of March. We were thinking about going to the Keys. What does anyone think
> about this idea? I know that the Caribbean has a lot of nice places, but
> for my first dives I think that would be a waste.
>
> Thanks,
> Doug
>
>

No, I don't like that idea. Start off with the best, Little Cayman. I mean,
Little Cayman isn't the GBR or one of those incredible world destination sites
and doing your open water check-out dive in the Red Sea would be wrong too. But
Little Cayman would give you a frisson of excitement that would be very
satisfying.

Doug Schaible wrote:

> Hello everyone,
>
> My father and I finshed our PADI scuba diver class a few weeks ago, and are
> looking for a place to take a small vacation and take our open water
> certification. We were thinking the last part of Feburary or the first part
> of March. We were thinking about going to the Keys. What does anyone think
> about this idea? I know that the Caribbean has a lot of nice places, but
> for my first dives I think that would be a waste.
>
> Thanks,
> Doug

Doug Schaible wrote:

> I know that the Caribbean has a lot of nice places, but
> for my first dives I think that would be a waste.

Those nice places in the Carribean are never a waste. How short is the vacation going
to be, and where do you need to travel from? If Fort Lauderdale or the Keys are
within a day's drive, they're a simple and inexpensive option. If you have to fly
getting to the islands may not cost much more, though the other costs will probably
be higher. If you can stay for a few days, you can do an afternoon dive or two the
same day you finish your checkout dives, and do 2 to 4 dives on the days after that
(only 2 morning dives the day before flying home, of course).

If you go to the islands the water should be warm enough that you won't *need*
wetsuits, though you may want some thermal protection. A polartec suit will probably
be enough without affecting your buoyancy the way a wetsuit will. If you go to
Florida you'll need more thermal protection, which means enough neoprene to make
buoyancy control more of an issue. As brand new divers there's a lot to be said for
getting in a few dives without wetsuits first, which is another reason the Caribbean
wouldn't be a waste.

--
Steve

The above can be construed as personal opinion in the absence of a reasonable
belief that it was intended as a statement of fact.

If you want a reply to reach me, remove the SPAMTRAP from the address.

I debated about responding to some replies posted earler but finally had to
d-lurk a bit and open my mouth when someone suggested that of course these new
divers could do the Grove and someone suggested Amy Slate's.

First, the conditions on the Grove are completely unpredictable and a brand new
diver will not be prepared to deal with the currents, downdwellings,
updwellings, and all that can and do happen on that wreck. The LDS I use
doesn't even consider taking open water classes there for their checkout dives
which is what the original poster is asking for. It would be stupid to do so.
I've been on the Grove when it was beautiful and fun and I've been there when
it was brutal foe even the best of divers.

Amy Slate's Dive Amoray is a very nice almost bed and breakfast kind of place
to stay but has one of, in my opinion, the most rude and screwed up dive
operations I have ever encountered. With only one pontoon boat that they
overcrowd with divers, they govern every dive by the least experienced on the
boat and that is it. There are many far better operations in Largo that will
put you on a boat that matches your skills and take you to one of many Largo
dive sites that will match your ability and, especially for divers doing their
open water check out, will match you with an appropriate instructor.

My favorite operator in Largo is Captain Slates Atlantis Dive Center. Set it
up in advance and you will be fine.

Boyonton has several great operators but you really need to work it out with
them in advance to do the check out dives. Boyonton is difficult sometimes to
get the depths enough since I don't think (again my opinion) that check out
open water dives should be below 60 feet and would rather see them in the 40
foot range.

West Palm Beach -- using any of the operators from the Rivera Beach Marina is
great for these divers and the operators there are skilled in class dives and
checkouts. Again, make sure that you let them know in advance so that the
sites will be picked accordingly.

Best way, in my mind, is to find a NAUI or PADI (if you must) shop in the area
and schedule your chedkout referal through them and enjoy your experience.
Then, start looking at some of the "exotic" places further south like Belize,
Turks and Cacios, Roatan, and the like.

Warren

"Rig2" wrote

> My favorite operator in Largo is Captain Slates Atlantis Dive Center. Set
it
> up in advance and you will be fine.

I like Spencer, but every time I've been on one of his boats, they went to
grossly overdove sites where darned near everything is dead. I've enjoyed
every trip that he accompanied us, but I'd spend my money someplace else,
otherwise.

I used to like American Dive Center, but it's been quite a while since I
last used them. Quiesence, who I've not used personally, seems to have the
best reputation in the area.

> Boynton has several great operators but you really need to work it out
with
> them in advance to do the check out dives. Boyonton is difficult
sometimes to
> get the depths enough since I don't think (again my opinion) that check
out
> open water dives should be below 60 feet and would rather see them in the
40
> foot range.

I was under the impression that at least one of the checkout dives needed to
be deeper than 40 feet, but I could be wrong. There are plenty of sites in
the 40-60 foot range, but you're correct about needing to set things up in
advance. Then again, that's true no matter where you go.

> Best way, in my mind, is to find a NAUI or PADI (if you must) shop in the
area
> and schedule your chedkout referal through them and enjoy your experience.
> Then, start looking at some of the "exotic" places further south like
Belize,
> Turks and Cacios, Roatan, and the like.

Just for grins, let's include SSI in there.

Lee

The Cayman Islands are too touristy for me to spend the tyoe of money it takes
to get there and dive for local diving. But it may be perfect for you given
that you are traveling from Kansas.

As far as airfare, you need to look at several psooibilities that will earn you
long term benefits. Which airlines serve KC and which offers you the best
frequent flier program? Which hotel frequent guest program offers you the best
program in connection with your airline? For those of you living in the middle
of the country, these things should enter into your planning.

I got elite status on Continental because of my trip to Truk this past fall and
it will pay off this year in the milage bonuses (get 150% miles for my business
trip to SFO plus 1,000 miles for online booking) so I can go to Belize twice or
something like that. If I save my miles and dive here, I should be able to go
to Micronesia again in 2006 with the LDS for only the price of the Odyssey
which is already booked with at least six passengers.

I guess I'm lucky that I live in central Florida and have lots of options
locally -- even if they get repetitious but sure can use all the Continental
miles and Holiday Inn points to my advantage. It takes a little effort but
dive travel can work to your advantage when you combine it with business travel
and rack up those points/miles.

For Doug's trip, I would think it better to get the referals set up then figure
out the travel details since he already has some leads. Why isn't his PADI
instructor helping him find his referal or helping him figure out his travel
plans? I don't even go to West Palm Beach on a weekday without going through
the dive shop even though I got certified in 1998 because the shop does not get
a discount but does get ataboy points with the boats and we get to choose the
dive sites.

I guess the ultimate point of my ramblings is work with your shop and get them
to help you throughout your diving experience. I've spent two weeks in
Micronesia for $2000 less than I could have done it myself, been to Belize
twice for less than I could have done it myself, been to T&C, Roatan, and all
of South Florida with less costs than I could have done it myself and less
effort as well as diving with people I know and like and meeting new folks as
well. We have a ball with informal groups that have formed from our dive
shops. Would you go skydiving with us? We have a group that dove together in
Truk that has a skydiving trip scheduled because a couple of us had done tandem
dives once and a couple of folks were real skydivers so we decided to go
skydive together as a celebration of our grand adventure in Chuuk.

Your best resource in these efforts is Local Dive Shop that really does their
job and understands that that job is not selling classes, gear, or stuff but is
opening the amazing world of the seas to us.

If your dive shop isn't doing this, then look elsewhere.

Warren

Doug Schaible wrote:

> BTW at Expedia I picked "Georgetown, Grand Cayman Island, Cayman
> Islands (GCM-Owen Roberts)" is that right?

Yes. American used to fly there. I'm not sure who does these days.

Lee

Doug Schaible left this mess on Sun, 18 Jan 2004 21:22:55 GMT for The Way to
clean up:
>
>
>Hello everyone,
>
>My father and I finshed our PADI scuba diver class a few weeks ago, and are
>looking for a place to take a small vacation and take our open water
>certification. We were thinking the last part of Feburary or the first part
>of March. We were thinking about going to the Keys. What does anyone think
>about this idea? I know that the Caribbean has a lot of nice places, but
>for my first dives I think that would be a waste.
>

It wouldn't be a waste, Doug. There's plenty to see in just about any location
(maybe the South Pacific) that is within easy reach of even your BOW
certification.

However, since you brought up the Keys, may I recommend staying near Key Largo,
because that seems to be where the more popular dive sites are, such as
Pennekamp Park, Pickles and French Reefs and so on?

Tao te Carl
"It takes a village to have an idiot." - Carl (c) 2003

(Kudos to Cap'n Jim Wyatt for this link) BEFORE you ask a dumb-ass question
here...http://www.speakeasy.org/~neilco/bart.gif